The Oak Park Residence Corporation has named former Village President David Pope its new executive director, succeeding Maria Saldana, who left the position in May.
Pope has a decade of experience in public life in Oak Park, serving two years as a village trustee and eight years as village president. He was succeeded in that position in 2013 by the current Village President Anan Abu-Taleb.
The Residence Corporation is a nonprofit organization that aims to promote racial and economic diversity through the prevention of blight in multifamily apartment buildings, the promotion of fair housing and providing affordable housing.
“David understands our mission and was very supportive of the Residence Corporation during his years in village government,” Wayne Pierce, board president of the Residence Corporation, said in a press release. “David also knows Oak Park and the challenges facing the village relating to affordable housing, diversity and areas in the village lacking in multifamily housing investment and new construction.”
Pope said in a telephone interview that the Residence Corporation, founded in 1966, is about quality, affordability, diversity and efficiency.
“We’re setting an example for other communities in the region and doing it as efficiently as possible, so it could have the largest impact possible,” he said.
Pope said he aims to maintain and manage the buildings the Residence Corporation owns across the village.
“But we’re also looking to opportunities to expand the Residence Corporation’s impact through acquisition of new buildings,” he said.
CONTACT: tim@oakpark.com